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Secession Suggested

It is an historical fact that on 8 April 1933, when the people of Western
Australia were asked whether they were in favour of the State withdrawing
from the Federal Commonwealth, they voted ‘Yes’. When a
government delegation went to Westminster in 1935 the Imperial Parliament
refused to intervene on the issue of secession. However, it is less
well known that Tasmania might have seceded before the Western Australians.
A suggestion to do so occurred within Tasmania’s Legislative
Council.

Thomas Murdoch
(1868-1946)

On 29 November 1928 the Legislative Council came to the brink of resolving
to secede from the Federation. The mover of the motion, Thomas Murdoch
(MLC Buckingham) knew that the Legislative Council could not act alone
and so his motion was, he admitted, only an ‘expression of opinion’.
Nevertheless, he wanted the Upper House to express its disquiet over
the ‘detrimental effect of the Navigational Act’ (an Imperial
statute) was having on the ‘trade and financial position of this
State’. In addition, and perhaps with a curious echo for today’s
Work Choice legislation, Murdoch wanted the Legislative Council to express
its disquiet about Commonwealth ‘industrial legislation generally’.
According to Murdoch’s motion it was, therefore, ‘desirable
that steps should be taken to enable Tasmania to withdraw from union
with the Commonwealth of Australia’.

Parliamentary debate began on the suggestion to secede, but more temperate
minds took over. Thus on a parliamentary division Murdoch’s motion
for Tasmania to quit the Federation was reworded. By 11:3 votes it was
changed to read: ‘This Council expresses its profound dissatisfaction
at the present position of the State of Tasmania under Federation and
with the treatment extended to Tasmania by the Federal Government’.
While it can be wondered whether the resolution had much impact on the
Commonwealth Government, the sentiments documented by it could very well
have been adopted as a mantra by many State Governments. General elections
have even been fought on this very theme. Murdoch’s parliamentary
career continued until 1944 and included serving as President of the
Legislative Council from 1937 until 1944.

Terry Newman

Maintained by Computer and Electronic Services, Parliament of Tasmania. .
Last Update: January 2007